My Wish Is For Wings
by Coke head
Summary: Mocktown, the Town of Ridicule. No laws, no mercy and most of all, no dreamers allowed. Unfortunately, Alexandria dreams of a better life than a bar maid for a family friend. When she gets word of her uncle coming to town, would she be able to escape?
1. Fate

Voices shook the walls and glasses slammed down on the hard wooden tables as a pretty young girl rushed back and forth from the bar to the tables, filling the glasses. Her black, curly hair hung down to her waist and her deep, emerald eyes darted about, focusing on the customers. She was quick and strong, keeping all the weight on her tray and not even spilling a drop when she ran around. It took many years of training to be this perfect. Running around in a dress and boots, curtseying as you held at least ten pounds with one arm, and of course, dealing with the ruthless pirates. They don't care how old you are, as long as you're a pretty girl. Alexandria had to put up with their harassment constantly, it was the duty of a bar maid.

This was her fate as a result of what happened ten years ago, before Mocktown became overrun by pirates. There were no soldiers there to defend such a peaceful town so no one was going to stop the pirates who soon came to hang out. The townspeople began to get in fights with the pirates and Alexandria's widowed father was first to be shot at a bar fight. A family friend took her in and she began to work at their bar. She didn't like having to put up with all the ugly, ruthless pirates that came in all the time and dreamed of sailing away from all this blood and toil only to be pinched in the butt and many other flirting gestures. She hoped this would be that day she escapes. She had already thought it up and formed it into a fairytale. On her sixteenth birthday, her long lost uncle would come and save her from Mocktown and take her away to far away islands, go on adventures and live happily ever after. What a birthday wish!

"Oi! Girly! Get me some more rum will ya!?" A pirate yelled suddenly.

Alexandria woke up from her day-dreaming at the counter. It was so easy to get distracted on a busy day like this. Only an hour more, and she would be off until evening hours to celebrate her birthday to herself.

That hour passed quickly as Alexandria practically danced across the floors, delivering full mugs and bottles. When her time had passed, she rushed upstairs to her room with the terrific view to change.

As she dug in her armoire for her favorite outfit, she heard gunshots and feared that they came from below. Three of them, right above her head. Curious, Alexandria opened up her window and crawled onto the roof in her dress.

"Hey! What are doing up on my roof!?" She yelled at the man that she found sitting on her roof.

He turned around and gave a distant look at her as if he looked right through her. Her wore a scope piece on his right eye that was attached to a square frame spectacle piece. His glasses were customised, as Alexandria observed. He was richly dressed, a black jester's hat, black cape, a purple shirt with puffed sleeves and black pants. In his hands was a long sniper rifle, smoking from the barrel. She found him so dark and handsome as he stared back at her.

"I hope you don't mind my lady. I was only having a little bit of target practice." He said with a sincere attitude.

Alexandria let out a dreamy sigh. "No, of course not. I was only curious as to what you were doing." She blushed. "Don't let me interrupt."

"You may come and watch." He said, turning back and taking aim with his gun.

Alexandria crawled up to the top of the roof and sat next to the man as a bullet sped out of the barrel and hit something far from where the eye could see.

"Poor thing, I only injured that one. But such is the result of his actions this day." The man said, looking sadly over the ocean because he didn't kill it instantly.

Alexandria looked at him curiously. She wondered if he was a pirate and if so, why he was such a gentleman. "Why do you shoot at them?" She asked a question that was not so important.

"It is their fate. Fate measures the worth of every living thing." He said as he reloaded the rifle.

"I see." Alexandria said, remembering something similar her uncle had told her so long ago that she still does not understand.

"I must be going, my lady. I am truly sorry to leave all of a sudden. I will try to see you again if fate allows it." The man said as he climbed down the roof.

"Wait! What's your name?" Alexandria asked, peering over the gutter at him.

"Van Auger." He said as he leaped down into the alley.

"My name is Alexandria Teach." She smiled.

"Farewell Alexandria." He called up to her and gave a slight wave. She waved back before he began to jog down the alley into the street with his rifle over his shoulder.

Alexandria sighed and crawled back through her window to resume what she was doing. She pulled out her favorite outfit and quickly put it on. She took her ponytail out from under her velvet green blouse and untied the ribbon, letting her hair down. Admiring herself in the mirror, she smiled as she rubbed her velvet black pants and fingered the golden brooch that had belonged to her mother. In the middle was a big emerald, as green as her eyes and blouse. As she laid her hand over the brooch, she began to think about what very Van Auger said about fate and what her uncle had always taught her. It was her mother's fate to die when Alexandria was only a couple years old. There was something that her mother had done in her life to deserve such a fate, the same goes for her father. Alexandria tried her best to avoid this so that she wouldn't suffer the same fates. She slipped on her boots and went downstairs to try to relieve her mind of the thoughts.

"Alexandria!" The barkeep called to her behind the counter. Alexandria walked over and leaned on the counter. "I believe your uncle was just in here but I can't be too sure."

"Really?" Her heart started to race.

"He just left but I bet you can catch up with him." He said and Alexandria dashed out the double doors without another word. She was going to find him.


	2. Chase

Alexandria stood in the middle of the road and looked this way and that. She went right and looked anxiously about for a man that fit her memory of her uncle. It had been ten years since she last saw him. She wondered if he changed at all. She jogged up and down the streets, maneuvering through crowds and stopping for a breath every now and then. He was like a ghost that disappeared at the last minute, a stranger that never existed. Just when she thought she could find him, he was nowhere in sight.

"Hello there young one. Might you help me out?" A sickly voice called out to her from behind.

Alexandria turned to see who it was. If it was another good for nothing pirate she would have to run again because she had forgotten her father's weapons at home. She knew she should have grabbed them.

In the alley behind her there stood a sickly looking horse, nosing at an old man that was laying face down on the cement. He was dressed in a big fur coat that Alexandria thought uncomfortable for this time of the year. The old man looked up at her and forced a kindly smile but coughed terribly.

"What do you need help with?" Alexandria asked, squatting down where she stood. He probably had a concealed weapon, judging by the giant wrapped up object strapped to his back.

"I fell off my horse and I need help getting back up." He said and coughed into a fist. "You see, I was born with a weak body and can't move much on my own."

"No problem mister." Alexandria smiled sweetly and came to hoist him up. He was surprisingly light as she lifted him up and back onto his horse. It still took a lot of muscle power but all the training in the bar paid off.

"Thank you so much child." He smiled weakly and produced a basket of apples from his coat. "I don't have much but I can repay you with an apple."

"Oh, no thanks. I already had lunch." Alexandria lied. She would never take anything from strangers. "It's no problem at all." She turned to leave but he grabbed her arm. This was gonna be trouble.

"You look awfully familiar. What's your name?" He asked her with a creepy smile.

"Elizabeth Townsend." She quickly made up a name. The old man saw through it and tightened his grip. He wasn't such a weak old man after all. "Okay, okay. My real name is Alexandria Teach. But I've never seen you before so I doubt we've met uproperly/u." She confessed, struggling in pain.

"Teach, hm?" He nodded, released Alexandria and pulled at the reins. The horse began to trot off.

"What a wierd old man!" Alexandria mumbled loud enough for him to hear. She watched him as he disappeared into the crowd on the streets.

Alexandria then ran off down the road, remembering who she was looking for in the first place. She was intent on finding him, she was sure he was here. Deep down inside her heart, she knew he was here to save her. She had to put forth a little effort in her escape.

When Alexandria was on the verge of giving up after many hours of looking around town, hearty laugh rang in her ears and made her stop in her tracks. She turned to see a big man sitting in the middle of the road, eating cherry pies. He was laughing at a boy that wore a straw hat who stood in front of him. Alexandria smiled. It had been ten years since she heard that laugh.

"UNCLE!!" She shouted suddenly and ran towards him.

He turned his head slightly. "Lexi?" He murmured. When he saw the bouncing black curls and deep green eyes, he jumped up and outstretched his arms to receive her.

"Oh, Uncle Blackbeard!" Alexandria exclaimed through her tears.

He patted her back with a giant hand. "Shh...I'm here." He reassured her. "Now let me have a look at you." He said, pushing her back.

She wiped her eyes as she stepped back. A billion thoughts rushed into her head and she wished to say them all at once but it would take a lifetime to make sense of them all. All the things that had happened the past ten years, all of her emotions and experiences. She especially wanted to tell her uncle of the dashing Van Auger that she had met.

"Turning into a fine young woman, you are." He grinned. "Have you been courting?"

Alexandria opened her mouth but she was quickly interrupted by her uncle.

"I remember that it is your birthday today, hm?" He pulled something from his pocket and wrapped it around her neck.

Alexandria looked down to inspect it. A gold chain was hanging elegantly around her neck, showing off the most beautiful emerald she had ever seen. She gasped as it caught in the sunlight and the emerald seemed to have no end, it's green mineral spiraling into oblivion.

"Oh, thank you uncle!" She exclaimed and hugged him. Her arms barely fit around his waist, he was so big.

"Happy Birthday Lexi." He smiled down at her. "Now let's go see that father of your's."

"Uncle..." She said sadly. Alexandria told him what had happened to her father shortly after her uncle left. She was going to tell him what else had happened to her but he patted her shoulder, signaling for her to stop.

"May he rest in peace." Her uncle looked up into the sky mournfully. He shook his head and looked at her again. "Well let's go out for a drink and catch up." He smiled.

Alexandria smiled back. She could smile forever if her face couldn't get tired. She was so happy to finally have found him.


	3. Acceptance

"Ah, so you've met Van Auger." Her uncle said after downing his fourth drink.

She had been telling her uncle all that has happened the past ten years as they sat and ate at the bar. When she told her uncle about Van Auger, he only grinned. He must know him, she decided.

"You know him?" Alexandria asked.

"Sure I do! He's my crewmate!" Her uncle let out a belly laugh. "He's an amazing guy."

Alexandria was shocked and amazed to hear this. Maybe that's why he left all of a sudden? She began to think of all the people whom she told her name to. Maybe that old man knew her uncle too?

"Uncle, I also met an old man on a horse..." She started to tell him.

"Oh! That must be Doc Q! He's in my crew too." Her uncle laughed as he downed his fifth.

"Who else is in your pirate crew uncle?" She asked with a smile.

"Well, you've met Auger, Doc Q and his horse, Stronger. There's also Jesus Burgess and Lafitte." He scratched his head as he recalled his crewmates.

"That's it?" She asked with a disappointed face. Her uncle turned and looked at her. "Most pirate crews have several ships and a thousand pirates! But you only have a raft and four men!"

Her uncle gave her that mischeivous smile. There was something more to his crew than only he knew. "It's quality of the crew, not quantity. Those men are stronger than the average man. You saw Van Auger's power earlier, did you not?"

"Yeah, he could shoot a seagull from across the ocean!" She exclaimed admirably.

"No average man can do that." Her uncle said with a wink.

"He sure is no average man." Alexandria sighed, day-dreaming of Van Auger. Her uncle laughed again. She decided that he was laughing at her or was drunk and laughing at everything that seemed funny.

"So uncle...when are you leaving?" Alexandria suddenly asked.

"Oh I don't know. We were supposed to meet Lafitte here but we might leave without him." Her uncle said. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, I was wanting to know if I could go with you." She finally said it! Her uncle raised an eyebrow.

"What are your specialties?" He asked with a smirk. She knew the answer already but she could play along.

"I can cook." She smiled. "I have a sword and a pistol to protect myself." She added.

"Yeah, you can come along Lexi." He gave her a nuggie. Alexandria almost choked in the headlock. "If the crew has a problem with it, they can all go overboard." He laughed hysterically, Alexandria joined in just because he was laughing so hard.

Blackbeard had sent Alexandria up to pack only what she desperately needed. She knew right away what she needed. She pulled the belt out of the trunk at the foot of her bed and fastened it around her waist. She ran her right hand along the pistol butt and adjusted the cutlass that hung at her left hip. She smiled and ran back down to say goodbye to the barkeep. After all, he had taken care of her all these years. She was sure it would be emotional.

"See you later old man." Alexandria said, trying to keep a smile.

"Bye." Was all the barkeep said. He shook her hand and showed her and her uncle out the door.

Alexandria guessed that he felt the same way and didn't want to get all sobby. She wiped a wet drop from her eye and looked around. The sun had already set during the time that she had been catching up with her uncle. Surely they couldn't leave now, you can't sail in the dark.

Suddenly, something came hurtling towards the ground from the air. It crashed into the ground, ripping up the wooden planks and then laid there, motionless. A crowd began to form around the object to see what had happened.

"Hey captain! What happened!?" A man yelled from behind.

Alexandria and her uncle both turned to see a big muscular man with a wrestling mask on. This must be either Jesus Burgess or Lafitte.

"Another fight broke out, I'm sure." Blackbeard said. "Burgess, this is my niece, Alexandria. She'll be our new cook." He said.

"Hey there!" Burgess smiled, putting out his giant hand. Alexandria grabbed his thumb and shook it, her hand was too small and could have been squished in his grip.

"Ah, what luck. I find all of you here in the same place." Doc Q said as he rode up on his horse. "Alexandria." He nodded at her.

"Fate works in strange ways." Van Auger said.

Alexandria turned from the others to admire him as he strode towards her, not them, in long strides. He had his rifle slung over his shoulder and was still as handsome as when she met him earlier. She sighed dreamily as he joined them.

"Boys, my niece will be joining us. I'm sure you all have met her by now." Blackbeard put his arm around Alexandria's shoulder. They all nodded. "I guess as soon as Lafitte comes, we will set sail."

"HE'S WORTH HOW MUCH!!" A voice from the crowd shouted.


	4. Escape

A paper flew about in the air and landed at Blackbeard's feet. He bent and picked it up. Alexandria tried to peek at the paper but she was shorter than her uncle, who stood at a great height.

"One-hundred million berries. I thought thirty-million was low for a kid of that ambition." Her uncle said, recognizing the boy on the poster. "But that much?"

"So, what are we gonna do, Captain?" Burgess asked.

A man with a fur coat and blue hair bumped into Blackbeard as he was still studying the poster. "Hey! Watch it!" The man shouted even though he was the one not watching where he was going. "Standing in the middle of the road like a pile of dung. I'm not in a real happy mood right now." Alexandria knew her uncle wasn't going to take that from this guy.

Blackbeard turned around angrily and grabbed the man by the head. "Shut up you!" He shouted as he picked him up and slammed his face into the ground.

Alexandria let out a laugh and quickly stopped, not knowing where it came from. She knew she was laughing at the man. He got what was coming at him. It was his fate to eat dirt. It was funny, to see what happened to people because they had sinned. Her uncle laughed too.

"I'm not interested in small fish. We've been looking for a man worth one-hundred million or more!" His belly jiggled as he cackled. "I'm planning to hit the big time."

The group started walking and Alexandria followed between her uncle and Van Auger.

"We finally get to claim our prize." Burgess cheered, raising his fists in the air. "Hey, captain. Wasn't Lafitte supposed to meet up with us in this town?"

Obviously Burgess wasn't listening a minute ago or Lafitte was more important to them then to her uncle.

"I guess he was meant to be somewhere else. It's all up to fate. Isn't that right, Auger?" He turned his attention to Auger as they walked through town. His shoulders shook up and down as he laughed his good old hearty laugh.

Van Auger stared up ahead, absent-mindedly. He nodded in reply to Blackbeard but never stopped to look at him or anything else for that matter. He seemed distant.

"Exactly. Fate is what is used to measure a man's worth." Doc Q said.

Alexandria kept thinking about fate and remembered all that her uncle had told her long ago. Some of it didn't make sense to her but then again, she probably misunderstood. She understood that everyone has their own fate, whether it be being a pirate or a bar maid, you fate strings out into what happens to you in your lifetime. She also understood that bad things could happen to you in turn if you do bad things because of your fate. She didn't quite understand what Doc Q had said about fate being worth something. She would have to ask her uncle to try to explain it to her later. Right now, she was excited about getting on Blackbeard's giant raft as Burgess helped her down off the pier onto it.

It was a big raft, about the size of a normal ship. The logs used to build it was bigger than any tree trunk she had ever seen before. She looked up at the mast and saw a big black flag with three skulls on it. Alexandria was filled with both fear and awe. She had never been on a pirate ship (or raft in this case) before and afraid of something bad happening like falling over board. There was no railing so if she was too fall...

"How do you like it?" Blackbeard asked her.

"It's amazing uncle." She said quickly, coming back from her pessimistic thoughts.

"Good." Her uncle said as he put his giant hand on her shoulder. "Let's set sail boys!" He called to the others over his shoulder.

And so the Blackbeard Crew went to claim their prize, Straw Hat Luffy's head, as was all of their fate.

The end?


	5. Firefist Ace

Alexandria was part of the crew now and she never felt happier to be with friends and family. The boys and her had gotten along fairly well and she still fantasized about Van Auger. So tall, smart, talented and calm. She had never seen a man use a rifle like him before. He seemed to move so elegant with it and the damage was no so elegant but very destructive, it was still fascinating to watch. But Alexandria hardly had time to watch for she had to do her part too although the boys didn't even have to move a muscle when pillaging, the sight of all the giants sent the villagers running. Of course, Alexandria was half the size of all them but she could still put up a fight with her cutlass and her flintlock pistol. The crew often complemented on her fighting skills.

"Never thought a girl could fight, huh?" She would often say to them, her uncle would always reply with one of his belly laughs.

The Blackbeard Crew had lost their giant raft months ago when they chased Luffy right into the Knock-up Stream. When they got back to land, they met up with Lafitte, got a new ship and were off pillaging. Alexandria soon got used to the pirating thing. At least her crew wasn't like all the other pirates back at home. Her uncle believed that the age of pirate dreams would never end. She liked this idea and it kept her going on.

Alexandria tossed a frightened man aside and shoved her pistol back into the holster on her left hip. She jogged up beside her uncle to see what he was reading.

"That Luffy is a pretty amazing kid! He took down Enies Lobby and Water Seven all by himself!" Blackbeard exclaimed excitedly. "Here, don't believe me? Take a look." He said tossing the newspaper to Van Auger.

He scanned the article carefully. "Fate has led us to him. Shall we go after him?" He asked as he put the newspaper down.

"We're very close to Water Seven." Lafitte said from Van Auger's side. "But he may not be around anymore, due to the date of the article and the supposed date that he launched the attack."

Alexandria rolled her eyes. Lafitte was always so intellectual and talkative. Van Auger never spoke a word. Lafitte freaked her out at times. He was tall, lanky, very pale and he would be in one place at one time and could appear in another. This was humanely impossible unless you had eaten a devil fruit, like her uncle, which Alexandria had found out during her adventures.

"Let's go boys!" Her uncle shouted enthusiastically. He turned and smiled at his niece. "And girls."

Alexandria smiled and nodded happily. They started to walk down the road when someone shouted out to Blackbeard. Everyone looked up to the roof of a saloon in the blinding light. There, squatted a boy about Alexandria's age with a cowboy hat on, no shirt and he stared down menacingly at Blackbeard.

"Oooh, Ace! Commander Ace!" Her uncle called up to him.

"Don't call me 'commander' anymore. Only people who can respect others can use that word." Ace, the boy on the roof, said.

"Oh, you're Firefist Ace." Blackbeard said mockingly. Alexandria stared at the boy, wide-eyed.

"Yes, I am. Hello there." Ace said. "You have become a fine captain on your own, huh? 'Blackbeard Pirates' Captain Marshall D. Teach, right?"

Blackbeard let out a hearty laugh. "What's up, Ace? Long time no see!" He shouted happily.

"Stop beating around the bush, Blackbeard. You've lived twice as long as I have; there's no way you don't understand the situation." Ace said. Alexandria tossed back a black lock of curls and smirked.

"Alright, I understand. Let me ask you one thing." Blackbeard said, putting his hands in the air to show he had no weapons. Everyone listened intently. "Ace! Why don't you become my nakama!? We could conquer the world together! I've already planned how to do it." Alexandria gaped at her uncle like a child who had been promised something great. "Whitebeard's era is over. I will be the pirate king! To start with-" Her uncle was interrupted by Alexandria.

"Oh uncle! If he joins our crew, it will be truly marvelous. He's the cute Firefist Ace that I've heard about right? He'd be a great addition to our team. He's so dreamy!" Alexandria completely forgot about Van Auger and stared in admiration up at Ace.

Her uncle laughed and continued. "I'll finish off 'Strawhat Luffy' in Water Seven just ahead of here and turn him into the World Government myself."

"Luffy! What?!" Ace exclaimed.

"Hrmm? You know him?" Lafitte stepped forward.

"Of course he knows him Lafitte. Ace is amazing and probably has lots of pirate contacts." Alexandria said as she batted her eyelashes.

"Looks like I can't let you roam around. He's my younger brother! And of course, I'll never be your nakama." Ace said. Alexandria's face fell.

Suddenly, three gunshots were heard and everyone turned to Van Auger, who was in a battle pose, a rare pose. He had fired his rifle at Ace's head three times and smirked, knowing that he had finished him off with his 'amazing power'.


	6. Duel on Banaro Island

"We've got someone with bad manners here." Ace said as the bullets disappeared behind him. He was still alive!

"Van Auger has manners, good manners, you moron!" Alexandria shouted, angered by Ace insulting uher/u Van Auger.

Ace stood up on the roof and pointed his fingers like guns. "Fire gun!" He shouted and bullets of fire came at Van Augerm, burning the grass around him and starting a huge fire. Alexandria began to worry but he quickly dashed out of the way. She has never seen him run so fast before. Maybe that was partially why the others called him "Super Sonic,"? There was a loud crashing noise and then a rain of ash fell on top of them, singing their skin. Alexandria held her arm over her face like a visor to see what had happened but she was too late. Ace stood, valiantly on the rooftop, the fire dispersing back into his body.

i'He's too hot to handle,'/i she thought to herself with a chuckle. Now, she wished she had a special power granted to her from a devil fruit like her uncle and Ace. At least, then she would stand a chance. She was just a small, mortal girl with a gun and a cutlass.

"Burgess! Auger! Don't butt in!" Blackbeard shouted at them when they regrouped.

"Sorry!" Burgess apologized.

"Alexandria!" She heard Auger shout as he ran towards her and swung his cape about her.

The few things she saw before they were flown through the air was a giant fireball flying at them and the purple lining of Van Auger's cape. They finally landed on ground, only bruised. Alexandria dusted herself off and looked up to thank Auger but he was off helping her uncle who's belly hair was caught on fire. She made a gross face and looked at something else. Van Auger had saved her from the fiery blast, she was so thankful to have a nakama like him. She wondered why he saved her, whether he liked her or he was just saving her because he knew she couldn't withstand the fire unlike the rest of them.

Ace walked through the fire towards them. The fire seemed to bow before him and disappear as if he was the Fire King. Alexandria gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. He seemed so emotionless and didn't care about anyone else but Blackbeard. If anyone dared lay a hand on her uncle, they'd have to go through her first.

Her uncle was starting to use his devil fruit power as black smoke rose up out of his shoulders and into the sky. Van Auger came to her again and grabbed her hand. She didn't physically object but she wanted to stay and assist her uncle even though she knew she wouldn't stand a chance against Ace. The two of them ran with the rest of the crew through town, far away from the battle. Van Auger kept at her speed, knowing she couldn't keep up. Tears blew away in the wind as Alexandria kept on with him. She wanted to stay and kill Ace. If she couldn't have him, no one will. He'll pay for what he said about Auger too. She hoped her uncle would do the job and survive so she could have many more adventures with him and the others.

She could feel the ground pull from underneath her and Van Auger swung her up over his shoulder that wasn't occupied by his rifle. The black stuff that had come from her uncle was following them, consuming everything in its path. She watched buildings fall into the darkness as they continued to the mountains. Her uncle had mentioned about his power before. Something about gravity and black holes. She did not understand this, she wished to learn more about it. Maybe Van Auger would tell her about it? Surely he would explain anything she asked about, to be a gentleman.

He put her back down when they were safe. She saw that they stood on a slab of rock, jutting out of the mountains and overlooking the whole town. She leaned against him, still feeling that "gravity" was pulling her into the darkness.

"Normally when devil fruit users are deprived of their power, they lose all their confidence and become completely helpless. But, as expected from the commander of Whitebeard's second division, his fighting skills are beyond the scope of normality." Van Auger said, deep in though as he looked out to the darkness. "I believe that today, Fate has decided that our paths would part again."

"Will my uncle be okay?" Alexandria asked, looking up at his sad face. She noticed he never showed any other emotion but a forlorn look of carelessness, a dreamer. He stared down at her with that same look.

"It is up to fate if he survives or not." He said and looked back out to the darkness.

"I hope he beats the snot out of Ace." Alexandria said angrily.

THE END UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE


	7. Pressure

There seemed to be a lot of tension as Alexandria paced back and forth between the line of wooden chairs in the small blue room. The Blackbeard Crew, except Blackbeard, had taken a seat in their choice of the simple white painted chairs. They watched the nervous Alexandria, knowing there was nothing they could do or say to comfort her. She had to realize the situation herself.

Van Auger cleaned his rifle, not minding Alexandria as she practically dug a trench in the white marble tile. Lafitte looked out from under his top hat occasionally with a sly smile.

"Lexi, please sit down," Burgess begged her, "You're driving me up a wall!"

"I'm sorry, Burgess. This whole ordeal is driving me up a wall too," Alexandria told him without stopping to make eye contact. She was so nervous and shaky; she did not want to stop.

"It will not do you any good to worry yourself sick about it, Lexi deary," Doc Q took a bite out of a blood red apple and handed the rest to Stronger, who, surprisingly, was allowed into the Marinefold Head Quarters, "This is fate, what is done is done for a reason."

"But we could get killed!" Alexandria dug her fingers through her curly black hair, the stress was twisting her insides.

"You do not know that," Lafitte smiled, "There is the possibility that Whitebeard won't even attack."

"He will, Lafitte! Uncle knows he will," Alexandria stopped in front of the pale man, "Uncle knew what he was doing, didn't he?" She asked, turning to Lafitte with a questionable face.

He smirked, "Yes, we all did, except you. We wanted to tell you but we feared you might bail," he explained to her.

Alexandria growled and continued back up the room, past Auger and Burgess.

Things seemed to have happened so fast after Blackbeard defeated Ace and turned him into the marines. Blackbeard was made into a Shichibukai, Ace put in Impel Down, luring Whitebeard into the Marine's clutches. But that wasn't all. Because of Whitebeard possibly coming after Ace, the Marines have been trying to assemble all the other Shichibukai so they could work together in the war against Whitebeard. This dream was nearly impossible but Blackbeard told his crew that it would be so. It was fate.

In the other room sat five out of seven Shichibukai, including Blackbeard. This posed a threat in Alexandria's mind, to have such powerful people in the very next room! And to be in the middle of Marine Head Quarters... this was insane!

But Blackbeard told them it was okay; as long as he is Shichibukai, they can't touch his crew. This made Alexandria relax a little, but she was still nervous about the incoming tides of war. She would be involved in it as a young woman with a cutlass and pistol. Of course, she wasn't the only one, there were the Marines but she didn't want to die here, not yet. She wanted to be stronger, she wanted to have a devil fruit power like her uncle and Ace, she wanted to have an advantage over Whitebeard.

"Alexandria," Van Auger said in his low toned voice as he stopped cleaning his precious rifle.

She stopped and turned to look at him. She still admired him, even though he seemed to pay more attention to his rifle than her.

"I know why you are nervous. It is because you are afraid to die," everyone gasped, and Alexandria gulped, nodding in agreement, "Because you are small and weak and you feel that you won't pose a fight in the war, correct?"

"Yes, that is it!" Alexandria said loudly, choking on tears and she hung her head.

"Well, Lexi..." Doc Q started but started to hack up a lung. When he recovered, he began again, "Your uncle thought you would probably think that so he found this for you," he pulled a large green ball out from his fur coat and held it out to her.

Alexandria took it and studied it carefully. "What is it?" she finally asked.

"It's a devil fruit," Van Auger told her.

"The captain thought you would like it, since it was green, your favorite color. Plus, it was a devil fruit," Burgess grinned.

Alexandria stared at the deep green fruit. It reminded her of an avocado mixed with a pineapple's rough and geometric skin. A single stem came out from one end, producing one curly green leaf.

"I've always wanted to have a devil fruit ability but now that I have the chance, I don't know anymore," she told her friends.

"If you eat it, you will lose your ability to swim," Doc Q sneezed and then coughed into his fist, "You may become a freak of nature as a result, depending upon the type of fruit," he finished as he wiped his nose along his sleeve.

She gazed sadly at the fruit. She was posed with so much pressure now. Van Auger stood up from his chair and walked up to Alexandria, towering two times over her. He laid a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at the giant, waiting to hear what he had to say.

"Whether you decide to eat the fruit or not, you will still be our Alexandria," he told her in his boring tone, "My Alexandria," he whispered softly so only she could hear but Lafitte heard as a smile spread across his face.

Alexandria smiled and looked down at the fruit to blink away the tears. She could decide not to eat it and be weak and possibly die, or she could take the risk and eat it, becoming stronger and have an advantage, but she would lose the ability to swim. Either way, she was still Alexandria.

Tears streamed down her face as she bit into the ripe, green fruit.


	8. What Are You?

The Blackbeard Crew walked up the pier towards a marine ship. Alexandria had no idea what was going on. Van Auger wouldn't bother explaining anything to her! The marines were preparing the ship for sail to attend Ace's execution. _Were they leaving on this ship_, Alexandria asked herself.

"Alexandria," her uncle called to her as she walked beside him and Auger, "Let's try out that new devil ability of your's."

She saw his malicious grin and she only felt sour in the pit of her stomach. What was her ability? Would she be useful? Her uncle ushered her up the plank and Alexandria drew her sword as she walked onto the deck. Hopefully, her ability would activate when she needed it.

"Just throw yourself out there!" her uncle shouted up at her. The marines kept doing their work but under watchful eyes of Blackbeard. They weren't afraid of Alexandria, a woman with a sword. This made her angry.

Someone bumped into her as he carried a large keg in front of him, obstructing his view. "Oi, lass! Stay out of the way!" he shouted at her as he passed, "There's no room for a lady on this ship!"

Alexandria gritted her teeth and clenched the hilt of her sword. Blackbeard and his crew watched anxiously. Suddenly, Alexandria disappeared as the man fell over and the keg rolled across the deck. A man shouted from out of view and was silenced. Then another screamed and was silenced, and another, and another, and another.

"What's going on, Captain?" Burgess asked him. They all became worried, except Blackbeard who always wore a grin.

"Alexandria's devil fruit ability…" he replied and led them up the plank.

They came up to the deck to find Alexandria amongst dead bodies with large gashes everywhere. She was breathless as she wiped her sword off of a marine's shirt and sheathed it into her belt.

"My, oh, my, Alexandria!" Lafitte smiled at her as he tipped his hat and danced amongst the corpses, "What happened?"

"I don't know," Alexandria huffed, "I got angry and things just flashed by as I lashed out."

Blackbeard made his way through the ocean of dead marines and headed up to the wheel, "Burgess, let's set sail!" he shouted excitedly.

Van Auger came up by Alexandria and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?" he asked her.

"Yes, thank you," Alexandria gazed up at him. He did care about her.

"Alexandria, you have the ability of the Hayai-Hayai fruit, or the Quick-Quick fruit," her uncle told her as he strode up to her and Auger. Lafitte was at the wheel and Burgess was releasing the sails. Doc Q and Stronger collapsed on the deck.

"Quick-Quick?" Alexandria cocked her head.

"You sort of have the same ability as Lafitte," Blackbeard told her and Alexandria gazed at Lafitte who gave her a grin as he turned his head slightly towards her from the wheel. She remembered how he can be in one place at one moment and then in a different place the next. Did he have super human speed like she supposedly had?

"But not entirely," Van Auger added.

"What do you mean?" Alexandria asked him, clueless. Van Auger only turned away and her uncle refused to answer the question. He only commented on various things such as the weather, Alexandria's hair, and her new ability.

Burgess came up and slapped her on the back. "Woo! The way you took those guys out was awesome, Lexi!" he exclaimed loudly. She could only smile and thank him. She was still wondering about her powers compared to Lafitte's. It wasn't until later when they docked at Impel Down that she found out why they didn't have the same abilities.

"Ze-hahaha!! Let's go boys and girls!" Blackbeard let out as he led them down the plank to the pier.

As Alexandria followed her uncle and Auger down the plank, she heard a loud flapping of wings behind her. She thought it was the sails billowing in the wind at first, but she could feel the wind of the flapping against her, as if it was right over her. Alexandria turned to look and could only stand in awe.

"What the hell are you!?" she shouted up at Lafitte, who could only grin at her as he flapped his large white wings. He thought it was funny.

"That's what's different between you and Lafitte," Auger said to her as she bumped into him.

"Did I mention to you in Mocktown that my crew was made up of super humans?" Blackbeard asked Alexandria who nodded in reply. He laughed as a group of marines appeared in front of them.

"Wait just one moment!" one shouted at them, "We sent no request for reinforcements!"

"We are in the process of confirming the situation with headquarters!" another marine shouted boldly.

"Ah, forget all that," Blackbeard said as he approached them, "We're all on the same side here."

"Nevertheless, as pirates, no matter what the situation, certain procedures are required for you to…" something pulled at the marine's leg, dragging him down on his rear, "Huh? Ehh!"

Darkness began to pull all of the marines down into the pier and the few remaining marines were slashed open by Doc Q's quick movements with his large sword. Alexandria was surprised. She hadn't seen Doc Q move so quickly other than collapsing from exhaustion. He quickly sheathed it in its cloth and he doubled over under its weight as it was strapped to his back.

"No need for all that crap… We're on the marine's side, we are!" Blackbeard let out as they approached the main gates.

"Whoa, this is a gloomy sort of place!" Burgess roared. Lafitte elegantly landed behind Alexandria and his wings began to turn back into his pale, lanky arms. She gave him a quick look as he pulled his sleeves back on. What was he?

"_Reporting in! The crew of the ship on which Blackbeard arrived is annihilated!!!"_ the intercom buzzed through the Gaol.

"Stop right where you are!" shouted some marines from behind.

"Liberation!!!" Blackbeard shouted as he hunched over and the marines and parts of the pier and a marine ship burst out of the darkness at the other marines.

"_Intruder alert! Royal Shicibukai Marshall D. Teach and the rest of the Blackbeard Pirates…"_

"Hey! Hang in there, okay?!" a marine said to his washed up comrade.

"It's the guards who just vanished!!" another shouted.

"…_are proceeding into the Gaol with clear hostile intent!"_

"Darkness…" a marine mumbled.

"We were sucked into darkness!" one marine shouted as he was held in another's arms who was questioning him.

"_The objective is unknown!"_

Blackbeard grinned as he led his crew into the gates. Alexandria followed obediently, afraid to be left behind. They still had yet to explain to her what was going on. She thought they were her friends, her nakama. She thought surely even her own uncle would tell her what he was planning to do, but no. She remembered what Lafitte had said before, if they told her what they were planning to do with Ace and Whitebeard, she would've bailed. Indeed, she would have. Would she bail out now if she knew what they were going to do? Most likely. But even as they entered the world's most terrible prison, Alexandria felt somewhat confident that whatever her uncle was going to do would turn out okay. It was fate.

* * *

**OMG!!! Can you guys believe it!? I can't! Lafitte has wings!!! O_O**


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